NMM Tapped for Affirmative Action Campaign

When a looming Supreme Court decision threatened to curtail affirmative action, the civil rights community turned to New Media Mill to help make its case in streaming video.

As the US Supreme Court focused on affirmative action in the summer of 2003, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund turned to New Media Mill for a Internet multi-media campaign that would put voices and faces to its case to preserve this important policy at the country's largest universities.

Streaming Internet testimonials were produced, including many with students from Michigan and California, the epicenters of the affirmative action debate. But the message strategy did not stop there. New Media Mill installed links inside the streaming video, so when LCCR invited 190 other groups to stream the pieces from their sites, users could click on the video and be taken to LCCR's affirmative action issues page: www.fairchance.org.

The media production was all shot in a single day, with Lantz Barbour on the lens, using the highly versatile JVC DVGY 5000 and a Canon lens. Stew Harris conducted the interviews and directed the PSA. A black backdrop was used for the testimonials to enhance streaming; A black backdrop provides no background detail, dedicating all data throughput to facial detail. The black backdrop was pulled away to reveal a different backdrop for the PSA shoot.

Editing was completed on Final Cut Pro. Harris cut all 15 testimonials in less than 12 hours. The PSA was assembled by Amon Giebel, an editor for Greenpeace USA and a local ABC affiliate. Soper Sound was our source for the back bass soundtrack.